Tuesday, March 23, 2010

LETTERHEAD

Here, the focus, for once, is not on the celebrated gentleman but on the lady to his right. That's Chilton Knudsen, former Episcopal Bishop of Maine. Leave aside the horrible color combination she's rocking here and focus on those things all over her miter and cope. If you're wondering what they are, click on the picture.

They're Hebrew letters. If you're wondering why they're there, I can't help you except to say that this is the reason why I am so opposed to Making Important Statements with your vestments rather than directing the congregation's attention to where it's supposed to be directed.

V. Gene actually has some pretty decent-looking vestments here. Perhaps he's realized that he is the face of the closest thing to orthodoxy--scary but true--in the Episcopal Church now (i.e., he believes in God) and is dressing accordingly.

No doubt they are the words of basic Hebrew prayer: "Blessed are You, Lord our God, who sanctifies...etc....( I could see the word for "who" on her mitre) and personally, as one of those Judaic Christians, I think the gesture is well intended.

That said (and roads to Hell paved with etc....) I think its over the top in a big way, especially since no one sitting there will understand anything about it other than : "Oh yeah, Jesus was Jewish. BFD...."

AND it's ugly, AND it clashes with her stola......AND dude looks like a Lady....

Have I walked into a church or the drapery department at Bloomingdales? When and where was this taken, please? Chilton is retired - I wonder if someone gave her that offensive mitre and if not, how it was purchased.

Alas, it's one of Bp Knudsen's classics. The occasion was the presentation of Bp Robinson to the Diocese of New Hampshire during his investiture at St Paul's Church, Concord, in November 2003. (The Diocese of New Hampshire does not have a Cathedral.) Bp Knudsen did the honours as President of Province I.

Thank you for the back story. I know Chilton's husband attended Lambeth in 2008 - with a minimum price tag of 3 grand - only weeks before his wife retired. Not sure who paid for that, but it is typical of HOB entitlement.

I am one of the "anonymous" posters who is a liberal at heart. I agree with the premise of this blog -as do a number of liberals who enjoy this blog. Expressions such as "anti-christ" or "libs and greenies" don't assist the conservative cause. One could be a theological conservative as well as a proponent of environmental conservation, a "greenie" if you will. Our faith is adapting - and adapting in a manner that connects it historicaly and therefore conservativally. Let's stop the name calling and share where we agree. Frankly, the name calling is just bad comedy.

Speaking of equal opportunity bad taste, how about Bob Duncan and his pal: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Q7TCCx4ow8k/SlldDFRvhXI/AAAAAAAADWs/092HmRXa_-8/s400/archbishop+bob+duncan+bishop+jack+iker+acna+Anglican+Church.jpg

As long as Bob is linked here - could someone hold the guy down down while someone else tweezes his eyebrows?

Allow me to speak for the Hebrews, being one myself. I suspect, though I can't say for sure, that the lady's chapeau seems to have the names of the 12 tribes in Hebrew. I believe I can make out the tribes of Yehudah, Asher and Zevulun (Judah, Asher, and Zebulon respectively).

It's ugly regardless, and I can't for the life of me figure out why it's up there, but I guess there's no accounting for taste. Or lack thereof.

Ah, I know the genesis of the Hebrew mitre (there's a cope too, somewhere). Bishop Fred Wolf, 6th Bishop of Maine, bought the Hebrew fabric on a trip to the Holy Land in the 1970s (need I say more)and had it made into vestments. +Chilton had them tailored to fit her when she became bishop as a way to honor +Fred's episcopate.

WHY WE'RE HERE

This site is dedicated to subjecting particularly awful Christian liturgical vestments or church decorations to the ridicule they so richly deserve. Contributions are welcome and can be e-mailed to websterglobe at juno dot com.